Elevator door operating mechanism



June 28, 1932. TALEN ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING MEGHANISM Filed Feb. 15. 195o z sheets-sheer 1 ,C 5 7 0 9/6 4./ ML m k/WW L h l@ 5 72f@ 2, L

`Jlvlne 28, 1932. M, w, TALEN A 1,864,959

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb..y l5. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE i MAURITZ W. TALEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SECURITY FIR DOOR COM- PANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, .A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Application led February 15, 1930. Serial No. 428,584.

This invention relates to elevator door opA crating mechanisms of the type-wherein the vertically slidable doors are provided with clutches that are actuated by means on the car to grip vertically reciprocable, power actuated, rods and cause said doors to travel with said rods.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a simple and efficient clutch which can be quickly and easily engaged with and disengaged from the door actuating rod; to provide means for automatically locking the clutch to the door operating rod upon engagement therewith; to provide means for automatically releasing the clutch locking means when the doors are closed; to provide means releasable bythe clutch engaging means on the car for automatically locking the doors in closed posi-` tion when the clutch is disengaged, and` to provide means for adjusting the clutch to obtain the desired grip on the actuating rod and take up wear. The invention consists inthe elevator door operating mechanism,

and the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specilicationand wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Fig. 1 is an interior view of a `portion of an elevator shaft at one ofthe door openings, showing a door operating mechanism em* bodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a lvertical section through the door opening of the elevator shaft, showing the retiring clutch operating cam carried by the elevator car,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary interior face view of the elevator door and clutch carried thereby, ,Y

Fig. 4. is a horizontal cross-section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. l5 is a side view of the clutch, the clutch being shownA disengaged from the door actuating trod,

Fig. G is a similar view showing the clutch engaged with said door actuating rod;` and Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. `5 looking at the opposite side of the clutch.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in connection with the shaft A,'the car B, and the vertically sliding upper and lower door sections C and D, respectively, of an ordinary freight elevator. As shown in the drawings, the Yupper* and lower sliding door sections C and D, respectively, for each door opening in the ele,- vator shaft are provided along each vertical edge with an angle bar side frame member l slidably arranged inlangle bar guides 2 that are rigidly secured to each other and to the wall of the elevator shaft. The upper and lower door sections are counterbalanced preferably by means of chains 3 that pass around pulleys 4 journaled in bearings 'secured to the door guides 2. One end of each chain 3 is suitably connected to one of the lower corners of the upper door section C andthe other end thereof is connected to the upper end of an upright chainrod 6, whose lower end'` is secured to the outer end of an arm 7 that projects horizontally from the upper corner of the lower door section D.

The elevator construction thus far described is well known and it is considered unnecessary to illustrate it in detail.

Loca-ted in the elevator shaft on opposite sides of thedoor sections are vertically reciprocable door actuating rods 8 adaptedtolbe simultaneously reciprocated` by a conventional motor mechanism (not shown) located at -the top of the elevator shaft and under control of the opera-tor. The elevator door is connected with the vertically movable ydoor operating rods 8 by means of clutches E mounted on the outer ends of the door arms 7 that project from the upper corners of the lower door section D. Each of said clutches comprises a plate portion 9 that isA bolted or otherwise rigidly secured atwise to the inside vertical face of a door arm. Said plate is provided at its outer end with a split clutch sleeve 10 which surrounds the adjacent door operating rod 8. Said split clutch sleeve comprises a fixed section'formed integral withlthe plate 9 and a movable jaw or section 11 hingedly secured to said fixed .section for swinging movement towards and away therefrom. When the hinged jaw 11 fies is closed, the clutch sleeve grips the rod 8 and causes the lower door section D to move with said rod, and when said jaw is open the clutch is released from said rod and no movement is imparted thereby to said lower door section.

The mechanism for operating the hinged jaw 11y of the clutch sleeve 10 comprises a link 12 pivotally connected at one end to said jaw and at the other end to an upright arm 13, which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower arm of a main operating lever 14 arranged for vertical swinging movement towards and away from the clutch sleeve. Said lever has a hub portion fixed to a horizontal shaft 15 journaled in outstanding ears or lugs 16 provided therefor on the inner face of the plate portion 9 of the clutch. The upper arm of the lever 14 has an arm 17 adjustably secured to the upper end thereof which is provided at its free end with a cam roller 18. The cam arm 17 of the clutch operating lever 14 extends inwardly into th elevator shaft with its roller 18 in position to be engaged by a suitable motor operated retiring cam mounted on the elevator car under control of the operator. As shown in the drawings, said retiring cam comprises a vertically disposed cam plate 19 mounted on the elevator car for horizontal sliding movement towards and laway from the cam roller 1 8. This cam may be actuated by means of an electrically operated mechanism including a rod 2O having a suitable toggle connection 21 with the cam plate 19, all as in common constructions. Vith this arrangement, the clutch sleeve is caused to grip the door operating rod by forcing the cam plate 19 against the cam roller 18 mounted on the adjustable arm 17 of the lever 1'4, thereby causing the lower arm of said lever and the link supporting arm 13 to swing inwardly andA pull link 12 endwise in a direction that will cause the hinged jaw 11 of the clutch sleeve 10 to grip the rod 8. Located in a pocket 22 provided therefor in the plate portion 9ct the clutch is a coil spring 22a which bears against the underside of an outstanding lug on the cam actuated lever 14 and operates to yieldablyhold said lever in a position that '1 will disengage the clutch sleeve 10 from the door operating rod 8.` When the hinged jaw 11 of the clutch sleeve 10 has opened far enough to di-sengage said clutch sleeve from the door operating rod 8, the lower arm of the lever 14 abuts against a lug or stop 23 on the inner face of the plate 97 thereby preventing further opening movement of said aw.

Pivotally supported on a stud 24 that projects horizontally from one side of the upper arm of the clutch operating lever 14 is a catch arm 25 that extends upwardly and terminates at its upper end in a hook 2G adapted in the open position of the clutch to overhancr the upper edge of an arm 27 that projects orizontally from the lower corner of the upper door section C. In the open position ot' the clutch the hooked upper end 26 of the catch arm 25 overhangs the door arm 27 on the upper door section and thus prevents the doors from being opened until the lever 14 is doperated to engage the clutch with the ro 8.

Pivotally supported on the catch arm supporting stud 24 of the cam actuating lever 14 is a catch lever 28, one arm of which eX- tends in the direction of the plate portion 9 of the clutch and is provided with a downwardly extending hook 29 adapted in the engaged position of the clutch sleeve 10 to hook over an upstanding lug 30 on said plate portion and thus prevent the clutch actuating lever 14 from being swung in a direction that will disengage the'clutch sleeve. The other arm of the catch lever extends upwardly and has a cam surface 28a adapted to be engaged by the door arm 27 at the lower corner of the upper door section C when the door sections are brought together in closed position and thus swing the hook 29 of said catch lever clear of the lug 30 and permit the lever 14 to swing to a position that will free the clutch sleeve 10 from the rod 8.

The catch arm 25 and the cam arm of the catch lever 28 are prevented from passing each other by means of lugs 31 and 32 on said catch arm and said catch lever, respectively, which abut against a stop lug 33 provided therefor on the clutch operating lever 14. In the normal or open position of the clutch sleeve 10 the lugs 31 and 32 are yieldably held in engagement with the stop 33 by means of a coil spring 34 which is sleeved on the supporting stud 24 with one end fixed to the catch arm and with the other end fixed to the catch lever.

Threaded through the upper end of the pivotal link supporting arm 13 on the lower arm of the clutch operating lever 14 is an adjusting screw 35 which abuts against a lug 35a that projects laterally from said lever between said link actuating arm and the clutch sleeve 10. By tightening the screw 35 the link supporting arm 13 is swung away from the clutch sleeve 10 thereby swinging the hinged section 11 of said clutch sleeve to- Wards the stationary section thereofand thus enabling said clutch sleeve to be adjusted for wear and to obtain the proper grip on the door actuating arm.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the car B stops at a landing the retiring cam 19 is automatically released and slides forward into engagement with the cam roller 18 at the upper end of the clutch actuating lever 14 to swing said lever in a direction which will move the catch arm 25 clear of the door arm 27 of the upper door section C and swing the link supporting arm 13 away from the clutch sleeve 10. This movement ofthe link supporting arm 13 pulls the link 12 endwise, thereby closing the hinged section or jaw 11 of the clutch sleeve 10 which grips the downwardly. moving door actuating rod 8 and causes the lower door section D to move downwardly with said rod. As the lower door section D travels downwardly with the rod 8, the upper door section C travels upwardly and causes the arm 27 of the latter to move clear of the cam arm of the catch lever 28, thereby permitting the hooked arm of said latch lever to swing downwardly into engagement with the lug 30- on the plate portion 9 of the clutch and thus prevent the clutch actuating lever 14 from moving in a direction which will disengage the clutch sleeve 10 fromV the rod 8 when the cam plate 19 is withdrawn. The clutch sleeve 10 remains in engagement with the door actuating rod 8 from the time the door starts to open until it is completely closed. The travel of the door actuating rod 8 is automatically stopped when the door is fully opened and when said door is completely closed. When the door is closed, the arm 27 on the upper section C engages the cam surface 28a of the catch lever 28 and causes said lever to swing in a direction which will lift the hook 29 thereof clear of the lug 30 on the clutch bracket or plate 9, thereby permitting the clutch operating lever 14 to return to its normal position and release the clutch sleeve 10 from the rod 8. 'Ihis return movement of the clutch lever 14 to normal position also causes the hook on the catch arm 25 to hook over the arm 27 and thus-prevent separation of the upper and lower door sections.

The hereinbefore described arrangement admits of considerable modification. without departing from the invention; therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. In an elevator, a shaft, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, means operable in the engaged position of said clutch for automatically locking the same in such position, and means for automatically releasing said clutch locking means when the door is closed.

v2. In an elevator, a shaft, a sliding door for closing a door opening 1n said shaft, a door operating member movable 1n the d1- rection the door is to slide, a clutch mounted' on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, means operable in the engaged position of said clutch for automatically locking the same in such position, means for automatically releasing said. clutch locking means when the door is closed, and means operable by the Vactionof releasing said clutchfor locking said door in close position.

3. In an elevator, a shaft, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door'operating member movable in the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted tobe engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, means operable in the engaged p0- sition of the clutch for automatically locking the same in such position, means for automatically releasing said clutch locking means when the door is closed, and means operable by the action of disengaging saidA clutch from said door operating member for locking said door in closed position, said lastmentioned means also being operable by the action of engaging 'said clutch with said door operating member to unlock said door.

4. In an elevator, a shaft, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted .i

on said door and adapted to cooperate with said door operating member, means for actuating said clutch, means `operable in the engaged position of the clutch for automatically locking the same in such position, means for automatically releasing said clutch locking means when the door is closed, means operable by the ac'- t-ion of releasing said clutch for locking said door in closed position, said last mentioned means being also operable by the action of engaging said clutch with Vsaid door operating member to unlock said door, and means associated with said clutch actuating means for adjusting the clutch to obtain the desired grip on the door operating member and totake up wear.

5. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adaptedV to b engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating member and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swingin movement towards and away from said clutch sleeve, a link connecting Said lever and the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, and means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch sleeve with said door operating member.

6. In an elevator, a shaft, a car Working therein, a sliding door for closing a door ,e

opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and 'itil from said door operating member, said clutch comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating member and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said' clutch sleeve, a link connecting said lever and the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch sleeve with said door operating member, and means cooperating with said lever for returning the same to normal position when the actuating means therefor is disengaged therefrom.

7. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a'sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operatin g member movable lin the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating member and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said clutch sleeve, a link conn cting said lever and the hinged section of the clutch sleeve, means mounted on said car for actuating said leverto engage the clutch with said door operating member, and means cooperating with said lever for returning the same to normal position, a spring-pressed catch lever carried by said clutch operating lever for automatically locking the clutch in engaged position, and means for releasing said catch lever when. the door is closed.

8. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction the door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged .f rom said door operating member,said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating rod and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said sleeve, a linkconnecting said lever and the hinged section of the clutch sleeve, means mounted on said ear for actuating said lever to engage the clutch with said door operating rod, means cooperating with the clutch operating lever for returning the same to normal position, a catch lever carried by said. clutch operating lever and adapted to automatically lock Vthe clutch in engaged position, means forreleasing said catch lever when the door` is closed, and a catch arm carried by said clutch operating lever for automatically locking the door in closedposition upon release of said clutch.

9. In an, elevator, ashaft, a car working therein, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a doorI operating member movable in the direction said door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating member and provided with a hinged-section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said clutch sleeve, an arm pivoted to said lever, a link connecting said arm and the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, and means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch sleeve with said door operating member.

l0. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction said door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating member and provided with a hinged sect-ion, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said clutch sleeve, an arm pivoted to said lever, a link connecting said arm and the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch sleeve with said door operating member, and means cooperating with the clutch operating lever and op erating to return the same to normal position when the actuating means therefor is disengaged therefrom.

ll. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a sliding 'door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction said door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating rod and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from saidl sleeve, an arm pivotally supported on said lever, a link connecting said arm with the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch with said door operating member, means cooperating with the clutch operating lever for returning the same to normal position when the actuating means therefor is disengaged therefrom, a catch lever carried by said clutch operating lever and adapted to automatically lock the clutch sleeve in engaged position, and means for releasing said catch lever when the door is closed, i

l2. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a sliding door for closing a door opening in said shaft, a door operating member movable in the direction said door is to slide, a clutch mounted on said door and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating member and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said sleeve, an arm pivotally supported on said lever, a link connecting said arm with the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, a screw mounted on the free end of said arm in abutting relation to said clutch operating lever, means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch with said door operating member, means cooperating with the clutch operating lever for returning the same to normal position when the actuating means therefor is disengaged therefrom, a catch lever carried by said clutch operating lever and adapted to automatically lock the clutch sleeve in engaged position, means for releasing said catch lever when the door is closed, and a catch arm pivotally supported on said clutch operating lever for automatically locking said door in closed position upon release of said clutch.

13. In an elevator, a shaft, a car working therein, a door for closing a door opening in said shaft, said door comprising vertically sliding upper and lower door sections movable simultaneously in opposite directions, a vertically reciprocable door operating member, a clutch member mounted on the lower door section and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, said clutch member comprising a split sleeve surrounding said door operating rod and provided with a hinged section, a lever arranged for swinging movement towards and away from said clutch sleeve, a link connecting said lever and the hinged section of said clutch sleeve, means mounted on said car for actuating said lever to engage the clutch with said door operating member, means cooperating with the clutch operating lever for returning the same to normal position when the actuating means therefor is disengaged therefrom, a catch lever carried by said clutch operating lever and adapted to automatically lock the clutch in engaged position, an arm on the upper door section for releasing said catch lever when the door is closed, and a catch arm carried by said clutch operating lever and adapted in the closed position of said door to engage the arm on the upper door section to lock the door in closed position upon release of said clutch.

14. In an elevator, a shaft, a door for cl0sing a door opening in said shaft, said door comprising vertically sliding upper and lower door sections movable simultaneously in opposite directions, a vertically reciprocable door operating member, a clutch member mounted on the lower door section and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, means operable in the engaged position of the clutch for automatically locking the same in such position, and means on the upper door section for automatically releasing said clutch locking means when the door is closed.

15. In an elevator, a shaft, a door for closing a door opening in said shaft, said door comprising vertically sliding upper and lower door sections movable simultaneously in opposite directions, a vertically reciprocable door operating member, a clutch member mounted on the lower door section and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said door operating member, means operable in the engaged position of the clutch for automatically locking the same in such posi` tion, means on the upper door section for automatically releasing said clutch locking means when the door is closed, and means operable by the action of releasing said clutch for preventing upward sliding movement of the upper door section.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 12 day of February, 1930.

MAURITZ W. TALEN. 

